Patient Story of: Colby Martin

During my freshman year of high school, I suffered an avulsion fracture in my hip while making history as the first freshman kicker to play varsity football at my school. After years of training, attending camps, working with coaches, and dedicating countless hours to improving my skills, the injury forced me to miss both football and lacrosse seasons.

In most cases, this type of injury heals successfully with rest and rehabilitation alone. Unfortunately, I was among the small percentage of patients whose injury did not heal as expected. After months of conservative treatment and consultations with multiple physicians, surgery ultimately became necessary.

My family and I came to Hospital for Special Surgery to meet with Dr. Anil Ranawat. From the moment we met him, we knew we were in exceptional hands. Dr. Ranawat took the time to carefully review my imaging with my family, explain exactly why my injury was not healing, and walk us through every available treatment option. His knowledge, attention to detail, and willingness to answer every question gave us tremendous confidence during an incredibly uncertain time.

From my very first appointment, Dr. Ranawat and his entire team treated me with compassion, professionalism, and genuine care. They made sure my family and I understood every step of the treatment process and always took the time to address our concerns. Their support and reassurance helped ease the anxiety that naturally comes with a major injury and surgery.

My surgery was a success, and throughout the experience, I was continually impressed by the expertise, coordination, and professionalism of everyone at HSS. Just as impactful as the surgery itself was the rehabilitation process that followed.

The HSS physical therapy team played an enormous role in my recovery. Every therapist I worked with was knowledgeable, encouraging, and fully invested in helping me achieve my goals. I am especially grateful to Ashleigh and Scott, whose positivity, patience, and attention to detail helped me navigate the many challenges of recovery. Physical therapy was not always easy, and there were countless hours spent working toward small milestones, but they continually motivated me and helped me stay focused on making progress one step at a time.

Today, I am pain-free and back on the field playing varsity lacrosse. The opportunity to compete again alongside my teammates and friends is something I no longer take for granted.

Looking back, choosing Dr. Ranawat and HSS was one of the best decisions my family and I could have made. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Ranawat, Ashleigh, Scott, and the entire HSS team for the exceptional care they provided throughout my journey. Their expertise, dedication, and unwavering commitment to their patients truly changed my life.

For anyone facing a complex hip injury or considering surgery, I wholeheartedly recommend Hospital for Special Surgery. The level of care, skill, and compassion I received was extraordinary, and I will always be thankful for everything they did to help me return to the sports and activities I love.